Unemployed youth desirous of venturing into the transport sector have been given a new lease of hope with the introduction of a new module under the Ghana Youth Employment Development Agency (GYEDA), the Youth in Driving Programme.

Under the module, applicants will be enlisted, trained in driving, and more importantly business management and ownership and given vehicles to work with as taxies in order that they can earn a decent living.

Coordinator of the programme, Mr. Ruben Adjei, told Myjoyonline.com that the programme was in furtherance of the government’s agenda of job creation and empowerment of the youth.

The Youth in Driving module is spearheaded by a private company, Time Link, in partnership with the government.

Explaining the rationale for the initiative, Mr. Adjei said the introduction of the module was meant to achieve a number of key objectives, key amongst them being the acquisition of skills, augmenting transportation in the urban areas and helping the beneficiaries earn a decent living.

He said those selected to benefit from the programme will be trained by competent personnel from the police service and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority as well as the National Road Safety Commission.

This is to ensure that products of the training programme imbibe best practices necessary to reduce the incidence of accidents and other road traffic offences which have dire consequences on the commuting public.

One of the objectives of the training, Mr. Adjei said, is to ensure that “our drivers are set apart and are viewed as model examples for other drivers to learn from.”

Entry requirements To qualify for selection as a beneficiary, applicants, he said, must not only be able to read and write; they must also demonstrate the ability to learn and implement the skills to be taught and commitment and desire to appreciate the business aspect of the programme. The ability to read and write is essential because “when you are on the road, you must be able to understand the language of the road; you must be to interact with the road,” he noted.

As part of the training, the beneficiaries, he stressed will be taken through defensive driving, road signs, precursors of road accidents and how to avoid them, basic accounting processes and booking keeping as well as business management tips.

Because of the persistent complaints about the rude attitude of commercial drivers to the general public, a crucial aspect of the training is to emphasise the importance of good customer service; errant drivers will be sanctioned if found to be abusive.

“The whole concept is about polishing the applicant, grooming him, making him unique, helping him to acquire some skills and then providing him with a job by giving the vehicle; it makes him more responsible,” he added.

Applicants who come thinking the programme is grounds to make money without working for it would be disappointed, he warned.

There will be an elaborate tracking, monitoring and evaluation system in place to ensure that the objectives of the programme are not defeated, the Coordinator maintained.

No political consideration

Dismissing suggestions that the programme was designed to benefit foot soldiers and loyalists of the governing National Democratic Congress, Mr. said there were no political considerations in the selection of beneficiaries because “we are all Ghanaians.”

The selection process will be as transparent as possible, he said, believing that, that will remove any element of impropriety.

The Youth in Driving programme will be rolled out in the next couple of weeks.